rebels are trying to overthrow the government of bashar al assad. hundreds and hundreds of people have died. we just got video in a short -- yesterday, a video posted on youtube of rebels supposedly shooting down a helicopter, using a rocket. some sort oh of rocket. we saw the pilot's bloody body, at least we think so, on the ground. and now the news comes today the internet has been shut down in the entire country of syria. so what does this mean? nick pay ton walsh is in beirut, lebanon, on the phone. nick, can you explain the implications of this for us? >> reporter: we don't know why it has gone down. i think the implication is the government has chosen to cut it off. that's a suggestion from most observers. that would suggest they have made the calculation in their heads that the internet is providing the opposition, the rebellion, who place on line much information about their progress, videos about what they have been able to achieve, that's been assisting them more, and, in fact, assisting the government. it would suggest some sort of crisis